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Thursday, 15 January 2015

Kate Officially Names The Clore Art Room in Madderson London Dress

The Duchess of Cambridge carried out her first engagement of 2015 today, officially naming The Clore Art Room at Barlby School in London.

The Duchess has been patron of The Art Room since 2012. Her patronage reflects her interest in the arts and in particular her interest in using the creativity of art to enrich the lives of young people. Today's engagement was actually scheduled for Kate last October, however, she had to cancel due to illness. Kate was said to be "hugely disappointed" at the time and obviously wanted to ensure it was rescheduled.

Kate was greeted with a warm welcome from staff and students before being shown into the new Art Room.

This little boy and his father looked particularly excited to meet Kate.

Her Royal Highness chatting with artist Grayson Perry who is also patron of the charity.

The Clore Art Room offers therapeutic support to pupils of Barlby Primary School and Oxford Gardens School. Highly-trained staff and volunteers work with small groups of children aged 5-11 in 1 hour 45 minute sessions. Each week, up to 85 children are able to access The Art Room’s methodology works through sessions designed to provide students with self-confidence, self-esteem and independence using creativity and self-expression.

Barlby Primary School

There are a number of reasons reasons why children are referred to The Art Room and why they need time away from their mainstream classrooms including bereavement and family breakdown. The organisation works closely with the schools to ensure the children who attend come at a time when they most need it. It is quite something to note this is the ninth Art Room helping children - resulting from the culmination of sustained support from the grant-making charity, Clore Duffield Foundation, who made the decision to open and fund the costs of the studio for three years.

The Art Room Facebook

Below we see examples of projects that students have worked on at The Art Room. As you can see they are all incredibly talented! If you wish to find out more or donate please click here.

The Art Room

Her Royal Highness joined in a round table discussion about the charity's work with education professionals, Dame Vivien Duffield and Grayson Perry.

A group of children showed Kate a selection of their artwork.

Kensington Palace Twitter Feed

Juli Beattie, Founder-Director said, "We are so delighted to be able to show HRH The Duchess of Cambridge the new studio. Her interest and understanding in all that we do has been instrumental to the charity over the last few years".

Moving on to what Kate wore today.

The Duchess chose the 'Naomi' dress by British luxury and maternity wear label Madderson London (the website experienced technical issues minutes after it was announced Kate was in one of their pieces - 'The Kate Effect'). The brand was favoured by Zara Tindall during her pregnancy. For Kate's second pregnancy she's opting for more maternity wear pieces and today's choice was stylish, elegant and looked to be a comfortable selection for the Duchess.

Madderson London

The A-line shift dress is currently discounted from £450 to £225 and comes in UK sizes 8-14.

Madderson London

More from the product description:

'Channel the 1960s trend of the season in our 'Naomi' shift. The navy wool comes from Hainsworth, a heritage British mill that clothed the soldiers in the Battle of Waterloo. We've trimmed it with French tweed to transform a simple silhouette into something special.'

Also today, are you active on social media? If so you'll be pleased to hear William, Kate and Harry now have their own official twitter and instagram account. The account will be run by members of their staff and feature updates and photos on their diaries, engagements and charities. Both accounts have already amassed almost 100,000 followers each in under twenty four hours. The twitter account @KensingtonRoyal is here and the Instagram account is here.

Kensington Palace Twitter Feed

Kate will attend an event hosted by The Fostering Network tomorrow to celebrate the work of foster carers. We'll see you then :)

I agree with Lynn and Ali. The dress would look nicer without the top odd and unflattering faux pocket flaps. The opague tights pull the outfit together nicely though. I think the shooties she arrived in NYC wearing would have been great with this dress. I agree with other posters rhat she seems to be less inclined to show her bump this time around, hence the many dark dresses and coats.

I still think Kate looks tired and no matter how much eyeliner she uses, it is there. I wish she would use less by the way. But this is my only complaint. She looks stunning in this maternity dress. Nice really nice.Not much of a bump but photos are cheating all the time. In real life I am sure she is rounder.;)

I also think Kate looks tired. And that is not a complaint, just an observation. But she is entering the third trimester soon and nightsleep is probably less than continuous. She looks really happy though.

Hello! The dress is amazing, even if too short! I don't like how Kate is wearing black during the pregnancy (perhaps she wants to hide the bump??), you should not wear black while meeting children! But of course she is beautiful as always, i like her a lot!Anna

What is this rule about no black with children??!!!! I completely disagree. She wore black in New York with the kids and got a lot of criticism. She throws in a pop of color with black this time and still people aren't happy. I believe she wears black because children's facilities are already so bright and colorful any thing she wears could be photographed wrong. If she wears green and stands in front of a display board with green paper as grass it looks like she's on a green screen and all you see is her head. I think it's smart. Kids don't care what she's wearing. I DO appreciate she is wearing thicker hose that are not so sheer but she still needs longer pieces. I personally feel 2 inches above the knee should be the shortest. But I also went to private school where we had to wear knee length skirts so I'm more conservative in my dress as an adult because im.not comfortable in shorter skirts

Yes, my vote is for a princess, too! ( Unfortunately, votes don't count in this case. :-( Healthy baby and mama for sure are most important. It is tiring the second time around with a toddler on your hands. I hope George has not been sick or something.

This dress to me is ok - it's cute, albeit a little big, and I guess appropriate for the occasion, I really think someone else does her makeup for "nighttime" and other important events. It looks like she has a tube of eyeliner on under her eyes here, which is kid of her usual daytime look. But, I think very often her night time looks is a little more subdued with less liner. I could be wrong, but I don't think so. Why is god's name she like this heavy eyeliner look is a mystery to all.

Many women I know experience this: your face get puffier - for pregnancy, weight gain, etc. - and you tend to add eyeliner on eyeliner because your eyes don't stand out as they usually do.It may be that :)

She always wears quite a bit of eyeliner. It is possible she had liner tattooed when she was younger. What makes me think so is young pictures of her skiing where she had a face clean of makeup had one black line under each eye, below the water line, which was exactly the same as other photos of her with little makeup. If she did, then she can't completely get rid of it.

Stephanie I've heard that before as well that she has eyeliner permanently tattooed on. It does look like it, even with photos of her with completely no make up she always has eyeliner, so either she goes barefaced no makeup but still puts on eyeliner or it's tattooed on. Unless anyone can show me a photo of Kate with completely no makeup. I do that sometimes too, I'll go makeup free except eyeliner. I'm a dark eyeliner girl as well. Although I'm with you I'd be freaked out to get it put on permanently.

Look at the Majesty magazine cover (picture from Christmas) that Charlotte posted, and also photos from the South Pacific tour (yellow dress, flower wreath on her head) and you will see that Kate sometimes pencils a much lighter eye line. She could not do that if her normal eye liner is a tattoo. And don't tell me those are photo shopped. They look quite normal, and she was in environments where it would be desirable to lighten up a bit.

The children are adorable and their art work is amazing. Nice always to see Kate with children and it looks a wonderful place -so bright and colourful.

Don't care for her dress, especially the length (why oh why, these short skirts when pregnant) but don't think I would like it in any event. looks like those silly dresses we oldies wore in the late sixties and early seventies, short with dark tights. It does match the chair though -- what a special gift. In fairness, don't like Grayson's outfit either -- though he does have better legs!

I agree with everything you said. She is so amazing with children. I hope we get to see some clips with her talking. We know from pictures she does it but no media thinks it is important to report on......

That chair is so cute. I'm sure George will love it. I read (I think it was from the mirror) that it was made with stamps donated from the royal household :)

The phrase "not fit for purpose" comes to mind, channeling the worst of the late 60s & 70s. Fuddy-duddy, way too short to be bending down over children, and would someone please steal her eyeliner pots? I'd never thought it, but Grayson Perry looks more like a princess than the princess.

Anon 20:36, funny..."not fit for purpose" seems to fit Grayson Perry if you consider the setting, no? I understand what he is about and I'm not making a judgment, but I did wonder what may have been in the children's minds...... I am not a fan of Kate's dress, but I doubt the children had an issue with it. :)))

She is wearing black way too much these days, I'm confused and a bit agitated by her choice of color, first you're meeting children, and secondly you're pregnant, put on some color to show some joy and excitement. I liked her maternity looks much more the first time around, so much color, pink, yellow, green... I miss that Kate.

You make a really good point Sue - lots of black (or navy - still very very dark colour) around children. First NY and now here. Weird, should be exactly the opposite (and it's not like she is shy of wearing bright pinks and blues....). Weird.... who's advising her is what I wonder. Very bizarre indeed.

More of her pregnancy took place in spring & summer, so maybe that's why we're seeing more darker colors this time. But I agree that some color would be nice when visiting children. That pink coat & ponytail that she wore in NYC would have been perfect.

When I first saw the pictures, the top patches of tweed just seemed out of place. Other than that, I liked it. She looks amazing as always. Does it seem that this time around she is really not accenuating the pregnancy? She is just gorgeous and glowing!! Everything seems baggy and big on her - remember the really nice wrap dress that she wore on her very first outing after being sick with Prince George? It's just an observation - I love everything about her. :o)

She looks cute and appropriate for event. The trimmings to me give it a fun look for the kids. Dress is described as navy and not black. Amazing that the designers website crashed instantaneously due to high traffic and the site where the dress was available sold out in minutes.

I have to say, this is my least favorite outfit she has worn... ever. She looks lovely of course but the dress is just a bit much, it's the patches i think. I don't blame her for being tired, as the mom of a never stop little boy I can certainly understand it! I'm sure George keeps her busy and actually its nice to think of her as a hands on mom! I'm glad we are finally seeing more of the bump! I was slightly jealous that she was barely showing in her second trimester! Some folks are just too lucky :)

Thanks Charlotte as usual! I love when i see a new post hit! Exciting!

I was happy too, to see baby number two growing. However, I don't think I would call it "lucky" to not be growing and showing in your second trimester. I imagine this is, in part, due to her hyperemesis gravidarum. A friend of mine had severe hyperemesis gravidarum and lost weight her entire pregnancy until maybe the seventh month. This can be scary and certainly of concern to the mother who is trying to grow a healthy baby. Glad it seems Kate is on the upswing and baby is growing in nicely.

Regarding the size of her belly, it's not truly a reflection of how her baby is growing per se, but more her genetics and her height. She is tall, so has some "space to spread" it over. I'm about a month behind her as far as pregnancy (I'm due May 15th), perhaps a little taller than her (I'm 5'11"), and starting at a lean 145lb pre-pregnancy…it's only now at nearly 23wks pregnant that anyone who doesn't know me very well can actually tell I'm pregnant by looking at me. I still wear ALL non-maternity clothes, although that may change soon. I did not suffer HG as she did, never lost a pound, and have gained 12lb so far.

With pregnancy, there is a wide range of "normal" and I suspect this is HER normal. She was similarly sized with Prince George, too!

I am a few weeks behind Kate -- almost 23 weeks pregnant (due May 16). Shift dresses are EVERYWHERE in maternity land this winter. I have bought a few wrap dresses from Seraphine, but here in the U.S. stores with popular maternity lines like Gap, LOFT and Pea in a Pod are heavy on the shift dress trend. They are a little more tent-ish but I love them. If your legs are hanging tough you can show a little with tights and not be vulgar. And they are just so comfortable. No idea how Kate feels (obviously) but for me, I love a break from tight, clingy attire while still looking polished. And for me, the shift dress also helps hide some major chest growth more than the bump. Kate's bust is probably bigger this go around with her second pregnancy and maybe that is something she isn't super comfortable accentuating. Regardless, I know she has a team of stylists and pros, but hats off to her. Being pregnant, even if you look amazing, is not a time of peak self-confidence for many and if I had to be "judged" by the press and public at large it would be tough. Some days it is hard enough to just go to a meeting at my corporate office. So cheers to Kate and all the soon-to-be-mamas out there.

So happy to see her out!But I'm totally perplexed how one can wear a navy dress with black tights. The one pic that shows the contrast, just makes me cringe! Black and navy do not go together. Simple basics:)

Hi there...so I personally have a hard time pairing navy and black...I have the Stewart Weitzman 50/50 boots in both navy and black (because the fit is so awesome!) The other day I was wearing a black dress and accidently pulled on the navy boots. Didn't realize it until I was out of the house...and had to go back and switch the boot. Just couldn't do it.

But I know fashion "experts" say you totally can match navy and black and in fact those same navy boots are actually half black and half navy. So I can't fault our favorite Princess.

She looks fantastic as usual and this weird color rule of no navy and black is a very outdated notion. Also, the chair has stamps on it that were donated by the royal household. It's not a painted chair.

I don't mind navy with black, and this could have been a nice look. I'm not crazy about the pocket flaps, which make Kate look wider, and the bottom row of fabric is not cut or sewed on straight. Not a quality garment, but Kate does look comfortable in it. My guess, a girl this time.

I think Kate looked very comfortable. The dress is not my favorite, but I still like it with its colorful detail. I question why she was not wearing navy tights with navy shoes. I think I would have liked that combination better. Upon looking at several of the pictures, I was pleasantly surprised that she too has trouble keeping the curl in her hair. One of the pictures appears to be when she first arrived, with her hair in very lovely curls. Many of the other pictures appear to have straighter hair, the curls having settled and fallen out a bit. This happens to me all the time, so I was secretly pleased to see this on Kate. Overall, she looked happy, which is what is important.

I love Kate, but she has been so off lately. This dress makes her look so frumpy and dated. And her makeup is definitely making her look more tired. When you line your eye (especially on the inner waterline), it makes your eyes look smaller, and subsequently tired. And her blush application and colour seems to make her cheeks look really saggy. I really wish she would overhaul her 90's inspired wardrobe and makeup, and do something a bit more up to date.

I had thought Kate's face was showing her pregnancy a lot when they were in NYC and now it really does - I don't think her eyes look small here - rather I think her face is fuller, esp up in the cheeks from pregnancy and that makes one think her eyes look smaller. Just my opinion

My least favorite. Totally, totally off the mark. I cannot even come up with a full sentence to describe how much I think the length and tights vs. dress colors do not work together. Great to see her out with her charity~ that I love.

I have to agree here with Jennifer. The dress is a mess. My least favorite ever for Kate. Before I scrolled down and had only seen the first pic, I though it was a t-shirt or something. The patches are awkward. The length is too short. I don't care if she is wearing tights or not, the length combined with the form of the dress is awful.

If we ever have polls for worst look of the year for Kate, this would be the winner.

My first impression was that I loved this ensemble! It's so completely different from other things we've ever seen her wear, and that made me very happy.

Now for something I thought I would never say: I really love her hair down and in front of her shoulders in this dress. When her hair is blowing back, the neckline is so uninteresting. Her hair nearly in her face almost works as a necklace/accessory and gives some interest to the boring top of the dress.

My thoughts on the things that bother other people:

1) Length - she's a tall woman, and this is off the rack--it's going to be on the short side. When she wears opaque tights, it doesn't bother me even a little bit that the dress is short as the tights give appropriate modesty. Most pregnant women feel a bit self-conscious about their changing form (potentially even the Duchess of Cambridge). This is purely speculation, but I wonder if she's the kind of woman who feels like her pregnant body is out of control, thus shows off her beautiful legs to feel a bit like herself.

2) Navy with Black -- I agree that this is generally a no-no. However, the colored strip of tweed at least made sure that the navy and black weren't right next to each other. Overall not a huge deal.

3) Top Flaps -- Odd placement, however, I appreciate that they're there, otherwise the top would be ridiculously plain. Playing designer, it would have been interesting to see the tweed accents used around the neckline (slightly lower) and cuffs like the Matthew Williamson dress Kate wore to the African Cats premier.

4) Dark colors around children -- perhaps she's trying to not visually compete with the children? If you've ever bought a wedding dress, the bridal consultant usually wears black so as not to take away the attention from the bride in her gown. I wonder if that's the effect Kate is going for? Honestly, I doubt any kid went home and said, "I would have enjoyed meeting the Duchess of Cambridge today if only she had worn a brighter color..." Plus, the tweed made sure the dress wasn't boring.

At any rate, it looks like the engagement was a success--very excited to see her tomorrow!

Media or PR or whatever tried to pump up the idea that she is 5'10'' around the time of the engagement. Another Diana comparison in many articles. But she is 5'7''-5'8'', based on her in flats or no shoes next to William, and based on people who have met her in person. Next to Beatrice, who is about 5'5'', Kate is about 3 inches taller it seems.

Love the dress and worn with the opaque tights, is certainly not too short. it is very like the designs I wore when I was pregnant in the sixties and is certainly far more comfortable and elegant than dresses designed to emphasize "the bump".The children's art work, including the little chair, was great and there was a drawing of a tiara which would look super on Catherine..

Not one of my favorite looks overall, but cute nonetheless. I tried to go to the Madderson London website to check out what else they offer, but got a message saying the page is not available. The "Kate Effect" hard at work. I guess Madderson will see a surge in orders today! =)

Thanks so much for posting this so quickly! I always come here first to get the best report!

I think she chose well today and looks adorable in the shift dress and tights. That look is all the rage here in the United States, so if you want to share her again, she'd fit right in! I have no problem with the navy and black. I think the black tights are very appropriate. I probably would have liked it better without the top tweed pockets, but I'm good with it either way. I agree that she looks tired, and none of us really know if the hyperemesis gravidarum is completely gone. From what I have read, it gets worse with each pregnancy, so she may still be dealing with that. And, by the way, I'm sure I misspelled that, so my apologies. It's just great to see her out and about and I hope that she is feeling well. She's out again tomorrow, so I'll be back. I'm all for a Princess too!

I think this dress is this pregnancy's version of the Erdem dress she wore when she was pregnant back in 2013. I don't like it at all. It's not stylish, the material looks rather stiff. I don't understand what has been going on with Kate's personal style nowadays. I can't remember her last smash-hit outfit.

I do not known whether the comment that I have previously posted was rejected. I am sorry, it was partially negative but not hideous, I think. I was saying that the frock is gorgeous but that the shoes choice is entirely inappropriate, as it often is with Catherine. Her tastes in the shoes field are very boring, but this time (and I noticed it several others) the Episode Angel do not fit at all with the frock's style. Plus, worne with black ties, they look old! And finally, their narrow heels do not fit her larger body at all. They make her figure disproportionate, and also end up making her tights look big, which is really a shame because she is a beautiful pregnant woman. These remarks make this look a miss, which is amazing given how smart and beatiful the frock is. This is what may well happen to common people: you buy a super garment but then you are not capable of building up a proper ensemble because you do not own proper shoes or you do not have the looks. Well, she has all the money and she is beautiful, so what is not working out there?

At first I thought the dress was black and I was very disappointed. Then I learned it was navy which is better. I think the navy would have showed up better in pictures if she had worn skin cored nylons. I thought the patches of tweed higher on the dress were placed nicely to show where a pregnant woman is the most slender around. Maybe not needed so much on Kate now as when baby bump is bigger. I do think children enjoy bright colors and wish Kate had chosen something more colorful. But the look itself is simple and elegant.

All down to personal choice afaik. No requirement to conceal or to show (I sometimes think people have a rather skewed idea of how the BRF works - like the idea that William was 'not allowed' to look at Kate coming down the aisle; of course he was, he just chose not to.)

Kate is a slender woman with a small bump. Same as last time really. She may 'hide' it a bit (with her bag, clasped hands etc) because she doesn't want the world's lenses capturing every detail of very personal changes in her body. I don't think there's any more to it than that.

I love Kate's style and she's a gorgeous woman, however, that dress does nothing for her at all! Big miss IMO. I see such beautiful maternity clothes nowadays, plus she can have anything made for her any time.

If the dress was just a bit longer I would have liked it. It is an unusual dress, but trendy and young. It is just too short! I felt the same about the Goat coat in NY. Cute style but the length was not appropriate.

The Duchess covered her baby bump in a very chic dress. The darker color of navy, was highlighted by the trim. I thought she looked beautiful, and very appropriate. As a native New Yorker, I love black, and darker colors. Her looks are very elegant, and personally, I don't think she ever misses the mark. She knows what works for her, has her own style, and is always fashionably turned out. Love her eye makeup too. She would look drab without it.

Puzzling. In the middle of winter she wears short sleeves and mini skirts to visit with children. In the middle of summer she wears long sleeve coats that fall below her knees to watch sports (Leeds). You will never guess the weather and activity by watching Kate.

I wonder if the media isn't inadvertently crashing the websites of these designers - with so many folks working to get out the story and needing source material it might be a contributing factor.

As for the dress selling out - I'm starting to wonder if there isn't a black market effect happening - similar to ticket sales to a concert. If people are buying more then one dress and then selling them for higher prices in boutique stores or on ebay. Or, quite possibly, they never have very many in stock to begin with - so "selling out" - may mean 20 dresses. I find it difficult to believe that there are thousands of pregnant women who are waiting to see what Kate wears so they can purchase it. Or that there were that many in stock. Meanwhile, we heard a new name!

As for twitter - you know I love the numbers! 100,000 followers is a good start. For perspective, Katy Perry has the most followers at 63 million. And the UK has a population of 64 million. Twitter has about 232 million users. The last reported figures for UK users was about 15 million. The 100,000 followers is worldwide. Will be interesting to see how it grows in a year.

I think she looks very stylish. Nothing wrong with black and navy together. If you follow fashion, almost no one goes all matchy anymore. Also, I don't understand the backlash on her wearing black (although this dress isn't) with children. Maybe it's a generational thing - I see nothing wrong with it. Also, if you look at the picture of the model the skirt is supposed to fall above the knee. So it fits her beautifully. It wouldn't be my choice to wear that short of a skirt at an event where I had to bend over to talk to kids, but Kate is clearly comfortable with it. So, I say go for it - it's the length that is in style at the moment!

Is it me, or is it odd that she goes to these events and never says anything and never even gives a soundbite to the press say about how important places like this are. IDK, just think it is very odd to show up to open a new center and not even give a short speech about it.

Yeah, I asked above, but if anyone didn't see it - do we have video footage? Did she contribute anything to the discussion, or was she just listening and observing?

It's common, and often considered etiquette, when you are the guest of honor somewhere to give a speech. Particularly when your role as a patron is to promote and advocate for the cause. I sometimes feel it is a bit rude not to.I'm always very surprised she has only made about 3-5 speeches total in the last 4 years.

I just don't understand why her clothing has to be so short when she is pregnant. The long hair and short skirts are not a sophisticated or classy balance. The schoolgirl sillhouett is not age appropriate for her work duties. She may have tights on on the result is the same. This one was especially short. Oh well..so much potential wasted..and she just lacks a polish she had in the begging year. Shoes..belts..gloves that look shop worn..does not the royal family have a standard to uphold? She is a Duchess...should be some standards

Some of Princess Victoria's maternity wear was equally short. If it fits the setting, I don't see the problem. She has nice legs and why shouldn't she feel good about herself while her pregnancy progresses?

I like this dress a lot - I would wear it today - but then I'm an old lady in my 70s and well remember things like this in the 60s - but I'm glad to see a lot of the 50s and 60s things back in style - I hope I don't live long enough to see the 70s stuff come back in fashion (sans the Boho) - too much poly and shine and glitter then. And I like navy and black together - seems maybe she did her own makeup today - it's not quite as glowing as normal or maybe it's just her face shape is changing more now with the pregnancy.

Perhaps it would have looked a little more "kid friendly" (for lack of a better phrase) if she had used nude pantyhose and her wedges. She does look beautiful and no more tired than any other momma who is pregnant with a toddler. Oh, and let's not forget, married to the future King of England :) Have a great day everyone!

Definitely not a well-made dress: look at how the band of tweed along the bottom doesn't even have straight lines. But I'm just glad she didn't dress like Grayson!So good to see Kate out and about, and with her favorite type of charity, child-focused. She looks happy and healthy.

Kate was in her element and it wonderful to see all the smiling faces that greet her.

Regarding the dress, gosh, I am not a fan. I think she was going for modesty (with the dark color) and some color (for the children), but it's an odd combination of frumpy and young. I also tend to agree with some of the criticism on the length and the combination of navy and black.

Looks like a happy visit, the chair is adorable and Kate seems to relate so well to the little ones.. Also glad she chose to give a boost to a woman-owned brand, good for her. Lovely fabric for the dress but those oddly placed tweed flaps spoil it for me. I saw some other pieces using that tweed more sucessfully on WKW Facebook, but maybe not in the maternity line. And here we go with the short skirts. at least she is consistent. Looking forward to the rest of the engagements this week.

I usually love or like her composite looks, & I so wanted to really like it, as it has many components that I do like, but..... All together it's quite a jumble:( I like the idea of the dress (channelling Channel etc) but the upper pockets just hang in the wrong place, for my taste:( I'm not used to seeing her in an oversized look, but had to remind myself that she's still got 3 months to grow! Plus, she seems to be carrying this Baby differently? Also, am I the only one who sees her face as being more full during this pregnancy? At certain times, like in the first pic at the beginning of Charlotte's Post? While in the other pics she looks skinny & entirely different? But any pic with a tiny bit fuller face does remind me of pics during her early College years:) I love being caught in one of those moments & I indulge in a trip down memory lane, when it seemed so likely to so many (including me) that love might not be enough to get the two over all the hurdles between them & the alter..... & here we all are & there they are expecting their 2nd Prince or (hopefully) their first Princess:) My how time flies.....Becca

I'm sorry. I left out the most important thought I had..... That She looked lovely:) I have a daughter her age, with two little ones & while sometimes the design or style of my daughter (while always Designer & On Trend) isn't what I feel is her best look, I realize that I'm probably not with the times & trends, but I always think she's lovely:)

Second worst dress she's worn (leopard print dress during first pregnancy is still worst). This has no shape to it. She has a beautiful figure, and should be proud of her bump. Instead she wears something similar to a potato sack.

Thanks for the quick post Charlotte & the info about the charity. It's a great cause & Kate looks very engaged with the people she's meeting, especially the children. The history of the Hainsworth Mill was also interesting.

The dress is fine for the occasion and everyone else is also wearing dark winter colours. Loved the 60s vibe.

This look is a miss for me. I'm baffled as to why with this pregnancy she seems to be wearing tons of black and loose fitting frumpy dresses. I just don't see why she seems to be embarrassed by her weight gain. She's pregnant, who would criticize a pregnant woman for gaining weight. I'm also tired of seeing the too short dresses with thick black tights. Kate really isn't hitting the fashion mark with her second pregnancy.

I think it's insulting to suggest that she tries to appear like a delicate doll. She isn't built like a football player, she has a nice figure, and she has always had a flair for fashion. That does not translate to wanting or trying to look like a doll. It means she was blessed with a good figure and has taste.

As far as embarrassment goes, I am not sure why people think she is hiding her pregnancy. Have we seen photos of any other royal dressed in spandex while pregnant? No. They all dressed modestly and tastefully.

And, Anonymous (but I think I know who you are), you never miss a chance to complain about just about everything some commenters post. So unless your glass house has tempered glass walls, you might want to tone it down or else you could get hurt.

IMO, Stephanie's comment was a deliberate comparison to Hilary Mantel's comments about how Kate is trotted out to the media. (Note to commenter who complains about posts: I said IS trotted out, which implies someone else is doing the trotting.) Kate so far has not done anything to dispel that. She turns up looking lovely, shakes a few hands, looks concerned, and that's about it. Oh yes, besides all that work she does behind closed doors.

Thing is, Kate is one of the few pregnant people who would probably look great in spandex maternity wear!

I don't think it is insulting to say she tries to appear delicate and doll-like. She isn't blessed with that figure, she works very hard to maintain it. We know from history that is not her body naturally, without very hard work. (By the way, I think her body is in amazing shape. This is no criticism).

She chooses to emphasize her big luscious dolly-curled hair 95% of her engagements (instead of wearing it up in a more professional manner so it doesn't fly all over the place).

She chooses to emphasize her legs in short dresses and 4-5 inch heels while at work, instead of longer dresses or slacks, and more practical footwear when dealing with small children and people in wheelchairs.

She is appearance-oriented. It's very important to her to emphasize her physique.

Juli Beattie, Founder-Director said, "We are so delighted to be able to show HRH The Duchess of Cambridge the new studio. Her interest and understanding in all that we do has been instrumental to the charity over the last few years".

That sounds like a reply to those who do not believe that Kate works for her charities, and who do not believe their directors when they state that she does! I hope this time is different, and that her work for The Art Room inspires approval rather than cynicism.

Since you brought this up, i would like to respond. Okay you may be right. But honestly, do you think that one of her charities would say any differently? Even if she does nothing but make an appearance for an hour once a year, that still brings in more money than without her. A charity is not going to say anything about how little work she does considering the fact that it is her profile that brings in funds. You don't bite the hand that feeds. If one of her charities came out and said how little she does, they would be crucified by the Palace. So, I highly doubt we will ever hear anything but positive comments from her charities, even if they think negatively of her. I take what they say with a grain of salt. Just like the media, who are only told to print positive things, so are the charities. Actions speak louder than words!

In addition to Anon's comments, one of her charities (I *think* it was EACH, but I will try to find the article) had to cancel a number of events in 2014 due to lack of publicity. This is something she would have been instrumental in helping with.

As patron, her job is to be seen as an advocate and promote the agency.The job of a royal is to be seen participating in charity and philanthropic efforts. They have no political power, their role lies in the former.HM and Charles have both been quoted on the importance of being seen, in order to remain relevent.

The participation of Kate allows that director to be heard and to give a statement that the press would pay attention to. If he doesn't comment about her - he or she is not visible to the public. You should see this type of statement at every charity event that Kate goes to. The only thing that would be better for the charity is if she would say something herself in a speech about the organization - that would be repeated in the media. As it is, her PR team is in full mode - using twitter and posting videos -- so while Kate herself may not be increasing her workload - she's hired people to promote her charities. They are making the most of her one hour visit to the school.

I have noticed that those directors etc who say she does such instrumental things have really only been able to comment on her "interest", but I haven't yet seen a quote about examples of what she actually does. Which is one of the other reasons I feel they say nice things out of decorum.Another reason is as I stated above - one of her charities had to cancel a number of events in 2014 due to lack of interest and publicity.

Anon 01:02 I like your comment. There are many here who think the Duchess does not work much. But like you said her charities tell a different story. Unless she is in the media attending a charity event then she is not working. But there are times and we do not know how many time she attends to business privately. But again that is not good enough for some here.

I believe it is not how long you spend with your charitiy, it is what you can do in a little time. And she has done alot of good for her charities. Again not good enough for some here.

The director doesn't need to read the comments here, only the newspapers. Charities need not say anything negative, only remain silent, if Kate is not helping them. Her charities do comment on the value of her assistance. This is certainly not the first time. I hesitated to point out the quote, knowing the sort of replies that would be made, but I decided it is important to listen to the charities themselves, not just to the griping of people who have no idea what the truth is.

Visibility is important, but so are ideas and connections and discussions, moral as well as economic support. If you read the Court Circular, you will find that a lot of meetings with charities happen at Clarence House or Buckingham Palace or Kensington Palace or St. James's Palace and are only known because the Court Circular reports them. PR at work.

Anon what is your answer to the following: Charities will not talk negative about Kate whatever she does. Please stop referring to us who do not get satisfied with anything. It is not true. And we are all entitled to our opinion as you are. If you are bothered with others opinion just scroll down, this is what I do. Thanks!

Anonymous -- Please provide proof so we know everything you say is the truth. I don't call my comments truth. I call them opinions.

We know there are meetings prior to Kate's public engagements. It's called preparation or debriefing. Please provide the truth of all the work Kate does at these meetings if they aren't just preparation and debriefing for her public engagements. Thank you! But I do appreciate your saying that putting those meetings in the Court Circular is PR at work, because that's exactly what it is. For the royal. Not the charity or organization. And the statements the charities put out are carefully crafted by PR -- theirs and the palaces. You don't think they'd say something the palace does not approve of while Kate's there, do you?

I think it was nice the director didn't mention the last time Kate was supposed to be there. In October when she pulled due to HG and was then photographed with William FLYING to Scotland.

My last comment was not at all finished.I meant to say is that, I although they are favorable about the dress on the dailymail, her video in action shows the dress much more favorably. Please do not show the previous comment. Thank you.

I like the style of the dress and the contrasting tweed panels. But it is poorly made. Any dress company who cannot maintain the pattern in a straight line should be ashamed and it is so obvious when you look at the bottom of the dress. In some places the actual pattern aspect meets the navy and in others it doesnt.

This isnt a maternity dress - its from there normal dress range and that is probably the other issue which is "fit". Its just a large dress on Catherine and it is particularly obvious side on. Lots of material wide and loose at the back.

Having said that - this is a time for comfort - probably her priority. This will see her through for another month or so.

It's so good to see Catherine up, out and about. She so obviously loves interacting with children. I do think that the navy is too harsh a color for her and that may be partly why she's looking so tired (other than the obvious reasons). A softer blue would help liven up her face. I am looking forward to tomorrow's outing.Laura - TN

i don't like the dress, mostly because of the upper pockets - they are placed in such an odd place to my eyes; below the breasts, above the waist line, just odd!

and i understand she is buying larger sized clothes because she will get bigger, but this dress looks *really* big on her. hard to believe she does not have anything from her first pregnancy which would have fit better.

Like the dress, love that it's made in the UK and woven from UK wool (I'm sure the Prince of Wales was pleased, with his Campaign for Wool). Not a fan of it on Kate. Even for a sheath and even supposing she bought it a couple sizes bigger to accommodate her pregnancy, it looks huge and consequently, adds a lot of bulk. I think this may be another case of the dress looking better in person than it does in photos. None of the photos of Kate in this dress look particularly flattering, the dress makes her look much bigger than she is, even at six months and even, as it seems, having gained some more weight with this pregnancy (much-needed weight, I might add). I agree with some earlier posters that Kate seems to be choosing really dark colors during this pregnancy. She also seems to be selecting dresses and coats in much bulkier fabrics. I get she wants the warmth but a lot of these ensembles have seemed really thick and a bit lumpy and not as flattering to a pregnant figure. The upper pockets of this dress are in an odd space too, I have to wonder at the logic. If you're small-chested, it makes you look droopy and if you're larger-busted, you're going to look enormous. But Kate herself, for the first time in a long, long, long time, looks happy and rested and like she's having fun. I don't think we've seen that kind of a Kate smile since Australia. There's a very damning article in the Daily Mirror about the number of engagements carried out by the senior royals. The tone of it isn't particularly kind to William and Kate, suggesting that they're slacking to do what they please while the Queen and Prince Phillip, some 20 years past retirement age, are continuing to work full-time and undertake an enormous number of engagements. The article is extremely flattering to the Queen and Prince Phillip and the queen's cousins who are full-time royals, mentions Prince Charles and is not kind at all to William and Kate. I'd have to wonder who's behind it since the Palace does not officially release the official numbers of royal engagements undertaken by the royals.

The logic behind this kind of criticism is faulty. The most important person in the UK is the Queen - no matter her age. Unless she is ill - she's the one that holds the power and position and should be working towards a better future for the UK. That she engages her family members to support her in her endeavors is at her discretion. The position that the queen's son, grandson and his wife aren't doing more than the most powerful member of the family shouldn't be a negative one.

This was a total miss for me. Kate is pregnant, she should want to show off her bump and not hide it. I don't know why she is wearing so much black and draggy looking clothes. I would prefer something more tight fitted so she can show off her pregnancy. I think she looks healthy and happy, just wish her style in clothing would change a bit. I am looking forward to tomorrow's appearances, and thank you Charlotte for the wonderful post!!

Rebecca... don't make me pull out my stats... :-) Her whole life? I agree it's best to let pregnant women decide for themselves on their clothing choices - anyone for that matter. But I will say that this outfit does test the theory that Kate needs to dress conservatively as a member of the royal family. Would you say this is a conservative outfit?

Kate looks happy and lovely but this outfit is such a miss. The black/navy doesn't bother me, but I think to really pull off that combination the outfit has to be more fashionable. This is just blah. She does seem to get along very well with children though!

I sympathize with her tiredness- during pregnancy I have terrible insomnia, and especially when having a little one to chase around it's terribly difficult. I think that some of the complaints about her eye makeup would be solved if she would wear lipstick that is a color. Her makeup look has no balance. Particularly when you know you're being photographed I think you need a bit more color. Not hot pink or anything, there are tons of "nude" shades that can bring more color to your face! The bad eyeliner looks even worse because the lips don't balance it out! Cate in USA

I gasped when I saw this outfit. It is dreadful. Maternity or not, there has got to be more out there to choose from. It looks like a smock that children wear when playing with messy paints. And why so short when you know you'll be bending down to greet little children. She did the same thing in New York with that black coat dress. I've said it before: I'd really like to see Kate in tailored TROUSERS (even in maternity). Trousers can be pulled together to create a very sophisticated look, a word that is lacking in many of Kate's outfits, pregnant or not.

This is always such a struggle, to match a blue or red dress with tights! Black makes it look heavy, but you need the thickness in winter. I like the dress, but with the black thights and the dark hair (and the black eyeliner) it is just a to heavy look. Love to see her interact with the children though!

It's so good to see Catherine up, out and about. She so obviously loves interacting with children. I do think that the navy is too harsh a color for her and that may be partly why she's looking so tired (other than the obvious reasons). A softer blue would help liven up her face. I am looking forward to tomorrow's outing.Laura - TN

Certainly not one of Kate's best outfits, but seated next to Grayson Perry, the cross-dressing transvestite, I actually didn't care what Kate was wearing. I think he totally stoled the show from Kate! ☺

I enjoyed this post and the coverage of her engagement with this charity, but this maternity dress was not to my liking. The color was too dark and the embellishments looked strange and misplaced to me. I enjoy seeing her looking healthy and pregnant and of course, like everyone else, hope she has a healthy baby. Would be nice to see her have a baby girl. We shall see....as always,enjoy reading this blog about Kate.

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